Price: $0-$5
Tickets or a MUNI passport can be bought from the conductor or from booths at Powell and Market or Hyde and Beach near Fisherman's Wharf. Seniors and disabled passengers receive discounted prices before 7am and after 9pm.

Is there parking?: Limited

Wheelchair Accessible: No
Mobility Obstacles:
Stairs

Water/Drinks:
Available at attraction or nearby.
This is a good place to get:
Snacks
Dinner
Lunch
Breakfast

Cable Cars

Description

One of the most admired San Francisco images is the revered cable car gliding up and down the city streets. Back in the late nineteenth century, before the cable system was in place, horse-drawn carts and carriages were the prominent means of transportation around the city. This was a dangerous means of transport, however, as navigating the slick cobblestones of San Francisco's famous hilly streets often resulted in terrible accidents when horses slipped on the wet stones. An Englishman, Andrew Smith Hallidie, developed a new pulley system that used wire rope to pull cars on tracks up and down the streets. The Cable Cars quickly became a popular means of transportation, and today they are still widely used. There are three routes in the city: Powell- Hyde, Powell-Mason, and California Street.

What you should know before visiting Cable Cars

Culture

Pay your fare.

Safety

If you don't get a seat on the car, make sure that you are standing in a place where you have something to hold onto because the sides of the cars are open! And, wait for the cable car to stop for you--don't run after the car trying to grab onto it!

Times & Dates

Open Hours: 6am-Midnight daily
Visit Time: 1hr-1.5hr
Average Wait Time: 30-60min
Notes: The wait time for getting on a cable car at Powell or Hyde can be quite long. The California line has the shortest wait. Price: $0-$5
Price Notes:
Tickets or a MUNI passport can be bought from the conductor or from booths at Powell and Market or Hyde and Beach near Fisherman's Wharf. Seniors and disabled passengers receive discounted prices before 7am and after 9pm.